Keller files for School Board

Merideth Keller filed Monday morning for the District 4 seat of the Hays CISD School Board.

The current District 4 trustee, Ralph Pfluger, is not seeking reelection on May 8.

Keller’s involvement in Hays schools at the campus level includes eight years of service with the Campus Leadership Team, PTA and booster clubs. She broadened her service to include many district level committees such as the Strategic Planning Committee, District Leadership Team, Bond Action Committees, Growth Impact Committee and the Principal Hiring Team.

In 2004, she represented Hays CISD on the State Comptroller’s Task Force in Student Learning and Instruction.

Although Keller’s volunteer passion is with the Hays CISD, she has also served as an at-large board member on the Manchaca United Methodist Church CDC and volunteered for the Hays Youth Soccer Association.

“I have served this community for many years in many capacities,” Keller said. “I understand the needs of the district and it is critical that we move forward with defined plans that are well communicated to all stakeholders.”

Prior to her most recent role as a community volunteer and full-time parent, Keller managed several businesses with staff and budgetary responsibilities. Her service to Hays CISD began when she and her husband, Alan Keller, moved to Buda in 2002. Keller has four children; a recent Hays High School graduate, a seventh grade daughter at Dahlstrom Middle School, a fourth grade son at Buda Elementary and a four year old son who will attend Carpenter Hill.

Citing her work on the Strategic Planning Team, Keller stated, “I am a true believer in procedures and accountability. I am confident that we can fulfill our obligation to students, teachers, parents and taxpayers by implementing the strategies and best practices resulting from this intensive planning process.”

If elected, Keller said her efforts would embody the very meaning of Trustee. “The definition of trustee is guardian. I take those words very seriously and I plan to provide trusted leadership to all stakeholders in our district. While I am very student-centered, I also recognize the important role of parents, teachers and taxpayers, all of whom deserve representation and advocacy.”

More information can be found on Keller’s campaign website, www.meridethkeller.com.

Pickett puts in bid for Kyle Council

Bradley Pickett, a member of Kyle’s Planning and Zoning Committee, announced he will seek the District 3 seat on the Kyle City Council, which Councilmember Michelle Lopez resigned from to run for mayor.

He hopes to use his 20 years of financial management experience to maximize the city’s budget and reduce the debt on its citizens, a news release said.

“We are at that critical moment in our city’s development; with a slowing local economy, borrowing that is out of control, spiraling property taxes, and a need for infrastructure spending,” he said in the release. “We must be diligent about long-term planning in how we approach the future.”

Pickett, who has a bachelor’s degree in business management/finance, a minor in communications and a master’s degree in finance, has worked for four Fortune 500 companies, including Fidelity Investments, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Advanced-Micro Devices. He currently is working as a finance consultant, the release said.

He is also a member of the Kyle Area Chamber of Commerce and the co-chairman for the newly formed Neighborhood Watch program in Hometown Kyle.

“I am running for Kyle City Council because I believe in its citizens and the potential they represent,” he said in the release. “New energy and enthusiasm is needed at City Hall to address growth issues that maximize the city’s potential without jeopardizing the reason why many of us call Kyle home.”

Todd Ruge files for Buda City Council

Todd Ruge announced his candidacy for Place 2 on the Buda City Council this week.

Ruge, 37, currently serves on the Buda Zoning Board of Adjustment and has served as the vice-president for The Friends of the Buda Public Library.

“I’m excited about the prospect of continuing to serve the citizens of Buda at the Council level and working collaboratively to insure a shared vision of a great community,” Ruge said.

“Buda is on the threshold of many important decisions, and quality leadership will be crucial.”

As a councilmember, Ruge said he would work to promote responsible growth that is beneficial to Buda and all its citizens.

“Buda will continue to grow and I believe that as a community we can work together to shape what we want our city to look like in the future,” Ruge said. “We need city leaders who don’t just look for growth but focus on responsible growth.”

Ruge is married and resides in Old Town Buda.

The Place 2 seat is currently held by Kelly Allen. The election will be held on May 8.

Tenorio files to retain seat on School Board

Guillermo “Willie” Tenorio, Jr., of Kyle, filed to retain his Place 2 seat on the Hays CISD Board of Trustees on Monday.

He has held the position since December 2009, when the school board unanimously appointed him to fill an unexpired term vacated by Joe Munoz, who resigned his seat in September.

A graduate of Hays High School who earned a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Texas at Austin, Tenorio is a member of the Hays District Leadership Team and served on the 2004 Citizens Bond Committee that proposed an $89.4 million bond package for the construction of two new elementary schools, one new middle school and district-wide improvements, according to the release.

In addition to serving on the DLT, he is active in his children’s school activities. Most recently he volunteered for Back to School Night and the Fall Festival at Susie T. Fuentes Elementary, where his wife Daphne serves as PTA President, the release said.

Tenorio said his professional experience gives him the special skills to become an effective member of the school board. He serves as a business analyst at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, identifying business needs and proposing solutions. Prior to his role there, he served in multiple capacities monitoring federal housing programs, developing policies and interpreting federal regulations and auditing grant and loan programs, the release said.

“I’m running because I know that my strong fiscal policy and analytical experience will help me in my role as a Board Member,” he said in the release. “As our school district faces financial challenges, we must remain focused on maximizing the dollars we spend directly educating students while balancing our responsibility to offer the absolute best facilities we can afford.”

The election is scheduled for May 8.

Related stories:

• Candidate announcements  02/17/2010
• Candidate Announcements  05/11/2011
• Kanetzky, Hervol prevail in contests  05/12/2010